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Franceville - Burkina Faso struck early in each half to
defeat Guinea-Bissau 2-0 on Sunday, win Group A of the Africa Cup of Nations and
dodge title favourites Senegal in the quarter-finals.
A Rudinilson Silva own-goal on 11 minutes gave the Burkinabe
a lead in south eastern city Franceville that Bertrand Traore doubled 12
minutes into the second half.
Burkina Faso and Cameroon finished with five points each and
the former topped the table on goal difference. Gabon came third with three
points and Guinea-Bissau last with one.
The Burkinabe Stallions return to the Gabonese capital,
Libreville, for a last-eight showdown with the Group B runners-up, probably
Tunisia, next weekend.
Knowing a win would assure them of only a third knockout
appearance in 10 attempts, the, Burkinabe attacked from the kick-off against
surprise qualifiers Guinea-Bissau.
A defensive mix-up led to Silva conceding an own-goal and
after Traore netted, Guinea-Bissau heads visibly dropped.
Burkina Faso finished fourth as hosts in 1998 and second
behind Nigeria in South Africa four years ago.
They suffered two injury blows during the group stage with
attackers Jonathan Pitroipa and Jonathan Zongo ruled out of the tournament.
If Tunisia do finish runners-up in Group B, they will set up a repeat of a 1998 quarter-final won by hosts Burkina Faso on penalties.
